MODIFIED MINUTE

MODIFIED MINUTE | EPISODE 16 | CHECK UP! – STAY LOW!

• Jack Arute

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0:00 | 55:15

Episode 16 of The Modified Minute takes you behind the scenes of what it takes to compete at the highest level of Modified racing.

🏁 CREW CALL:
A great setup gets you in the game—but the ability to anticipate changing track conditions is what wins races. This week, we sit down with one of the sport's top crew chiefs, J.J. Vece, to discuss reading the racetrack, making the right adjustments, and staying one step ahead of the competition.

🏁 SK SOUNDINGS:
It has been a challenging 2026 season for Matt Vassar. After reuniting with John Hummel and the iconic Hummel Hot Dogs No. 11, Vassar suffered a broken arm and wrist in a frightening incident during the Casella Waste 80 at Stafford Speedway on June 5. Following surgery and weeks of recovery while Andrew Molleur filled in behind the wheel, Matt is ready to make his return. Hear his story of perseverance and determination.

🏁 RACER SPOTLIGHT:
Spotters have become one of the most valuable assets in Modified racing. They provide the information that can mean the difference between victory and defeat. This week's Racer Spotlight features one of the best in the business—Shawn Waddell—as he shares what it takes to guide drivers to the front.

If you love NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Stafford Speedway, SK Modifieds, the Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series, and everything Modified racing, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

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#ModifiedMinute #ModifiedRacing #NASCARWhelenModifiedTour #StaffordSpeedway #SKModified #JJVece #MattVassar #ShawnWaddell #ShortTrackRacing #CrewChief #Spotter #Modifieds #RacingPodcast



SPEAKER_11

This week on the modified minute.

SPEAKER_01

Obviously, with the stereo empowers, I knew that you know playing soccer or football or basketball probably wasn't gonna be in the cards.

SPEAKER_05

And you weren't gonna be out in the dancing with the stars.

SPEAKER_01

Definitely not. So I felt like you know racing was my best shot of doing something that I love to do.

SPEAKER_18

So I actually enjoy it, you know, like proof keeping for Vinny and proofkeeping for my brother a handful of times, and my girlfriend there. I think I get more satisfaction working on the car and winning than you do driving because you could see the whole picture.

SPEAKER_02

Here's the trusted enough. Here's like right here. So the radius bones right here. It was broke like this, and it was a bunch of little pieces. Um to the point we had to do a plate and ten screws. And um, and then it sprained like everything all through here. We also have a boxer's fracture right here, and then one of the the little bone in the center of your wrist is a fracture as well.

SPEAKER_11

All that plus hot dog of the week, radio replay, and either or. So tighten those belts because this week's modified minute is next. They're called the Mod Squad. Ground Pounders. The men that live by the grace of God and 600 horsepower.

SPEAKER_16

Here they come to the strike, down to the finish, checkered flag in the air. Mom senor up to hell. Here comes Solomino to the inside. Here comes John Beatty Jr. And off the corner to the line they come!

SPEAKER_11

This is the Modified Minute. Go inside the world of modified racing with Jackaroot. Modified Minute is brought to you by Waddell Communications, the official track side radio supplier for the Mod Squad. By Mid-State Site Development, safety, knowledge, and innovation. By Wheeler's Auto Services, the finest in top-level service of premier automobile makes and models. By Hummel Brothers Quality Means. 100% quality since 1933. By Riverhead Buildings to Fly. Build Smarter. Build better. By Mr. Reuter Plumbing. Expert plumbing contractors you can trust. By SignPro, exceeding your expectations. And by Ferguson Contractors, building excellence since 1925. Here's Jack.

SPEAKER_05

Welcome to another episode of the Modified Minute, where it's all about the people, the stories, and the competition that makes modified racing the greatest short track racing in the country. Now this week we're going to visit with a champion, JJ Vichy. He'll share how he rose through the pit crew ranks and I'll call the shots for modified race teams. Matt Fasser has sat out almost two months of action after he broke his arm and wrist in an early June SK race at Stafford. But he's on the mend and ready to step back and finish out the season. And we'll visit with Sean Waddell, acknowledged as one of the best spotters in the business. Waddell will share his spotting history as well as advice for guys and gals that want to become spotters. But first, we need to get you up to speed on all the racing action.

SPEAKER_11

Time to get you up to speed in the modified world. Up to speed is brought to you by Mid-State Site Development. Mid-State, safety, knowledge, and innovation.

SPEAKER_05

The carrot top hair was gone when Austin Goff piloted his SK Light into Thompson's Victory Lane last Wednesday. In the Tracks SK division, it was Todd Owen putting an end to Keith Rocco's victory lane strangled.

SPEAKER_12

I mean, obviously it's been a hell of a battle between us two since his whole division started. Um, well, not the first year, but since we came, they started racing each other. I mean, it's uh it's a hell of a battle with him, and you know, we we had to keep going home and trying to make the car faster.

SPEAKER_05

The wheel of modified tour was in Claremont, New Hampshire, on Friday, July.

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Turn number four, Patrick Emmerling leads him to the green, and we're underway. Yeah, Stephen Comstick, your point leader with problems coming off of turn number four. He didn't even comstack coming in as our point leader. He had one rough night at Oxford.

SPEAKER_11

Looks like they might have figured out the issue, or they just gotta hurry up.

SPEAKER_20

See Hurstman draw even down the back just a little bit of an advantage, and we'll see if he pins him down on the bottom, but Hurstman's car so wrong on the top.

SPEAKER_17

Check out this replay off of turn number two. We're up one of the corners here. Right into the wall, smart shooting out. Patrick Everling wants to wait until the lap traffic. I think he won. He almost turned tracks at that time off of turn number four.

SPEAKER_20

Yeah, that's the tough part is dude. He's getting pointed and he wants to stand on the gasket under him, but there's just no grip to do that as he gets into him here. And he's gonna fire in on the bottom. It's gonna be so hard to complete this fast enough maxie's position, and then he's gonna let him go.

SPEAKER_17

Random leader on lap number 96. It's car number one. He has drawn together nine victories. He has come close to the championship twice, and each time, but he has changed the championship and really turned it up. It would be in the middle of the summer, so it's emerling time, and off of turn number four. Your winner of the clash of the clerk on it's Patrick Emerling.

SPEAKER_21

Kind of had a little bit of a slow start to the season. Um, we're kind of we we're kind of struggling, and we were uh just trying to get we're still but top three in points, or I don't know where we are now, but um we're just working on getting in our groove, and um, we're finally kind of getting that.

SPEAKER_05

Friday night at Stafford, Chris Matthews took the checkered flag in the SK Light.

SPEAKER_19

You had a very tough map roar on your back buffer. Hi, I'm at what's coming. I had to throw a pretty good blog on him there. He was really rolling, I got off the corner prevent.

SPEAKER_05

Wow, Troy Talman bounced back from getting collected in the week's previous lap one chaos.

SPEAKER_10

There's Talman out of line in turn number one, they are side by side for the lead. Troy Talman to the inside of David Aru.

SPEAKER_09

Threw it in and a ton, and Talman becomes the brand new leader.

SPEAKER_10

Off of turn number four, checker flag is out, and Troy Talman wins tonight's SK modified feature event.

SPEAKER_15

We got it done tonight. It's not just me, it's uh the team team effort, the whole car, the the the six car. How about that shit, huh? Six car is very stealth. Um, I I really can't put it into words. Uh, just so much work goes into this. Uh, we started the year out and we were struggling a little bit. Um, you know, I I'm just so happy I went with the six car. I mean, it's just uh it's awesome.

SPEAKER_05

The thing Meanwhile, at Riverhead Raceway.

SPEAKER_16

Out of turn four, Michael Burner takes down win number two of the season.

SPEAKER_00

Uh the car was just on rails. I saw Kyle was tight, and I knew I was gonna reel him in, and uh I just thought it was gonna be tough setting him up, and I saw a hole open and I threw it in there.

SPEAKER_05

Then, just this past Wednesday, July 15th, who is back to Stafford for the King of the Crates SK Light feature.

SPEAKER_09

He'll be the band that will go into the record books as being the Crates feature as King of the Crates, it is Robert Blox up.

SPEAKER_14

I joined this team to win races and to fight for a championship, and if I screwed it up that bad in the first half, I think I could do something in the second. So, um, you know, just keep plugging along here, and we're not gonna give up. That's that's what KR is about.

SPEAKER_05

And it was joined by the Monaco Tri-Track GAF Rupert Modified Masters.

SPEAKER_09

They come up turn number four, they light them up with a wasted GAF style pure snapper.

SPEAKER_10

Again, Rodstil at the point and pulling away at the front of the field. So with a nice run.

SPEAKER_09

Here comes Williams again. Rodstill will take down the victory.

SPEAKER_19

Really was great from the time we unloaded. They were fastest in practice, got the pole and won the race. So uh good day for us here. Uh, these guys back here that make this happen. Um, car owners, Joey, Tyler Hay, the whole crew, spotter Andrew, Phil Moran, Bob Tullipanny, every single one of these guys, they do a great job, and uh it's a pleasure to drive it.

SPEAKER_05

Waterford Speed Bowl and Riverhead's Saturday night cards were a total washout this past weekend. But on Sunday, NASCAR's wheel and modified tour hit the White Mountain Motorsports Park for their Thunder in the Mountains event.

SPEAKER_10

Emmerling John McKinney takes the green flag and they go thundering into turn number two for the first time. Here he comes, building a run up the back straightaway on Patrick Emmerling for the top spot. Emmerling, a bit stronger in the outside lane, has the tops of the race lead by a half the car length, but Tommy Catalano not giving up on the bottom. Caution lights are on. It is the air cleaner off the number one car of Patrick Emmerling. Holly Hartwick at the front of the field for the first time today. Patrick Emmerling to his outside, then it's Steven Topsick, brand new leader emergent.

SPEAKER_09

Second time he's been at the front. It is Patrick Emberling. Here comes Kopsick in the top three. To the outside of him is Austin Deer.

SPEAKER_10

Into turn number three and off of turn number four.

SPEAKER_21

We're gonna have the best log run car. And um, you know, we unloaded similar to what we did last year. Last year we were really, really fast, and we had a uh you know a um parts failure that ended our day. And so we were pretty hungry for for this one, and uh we wanted to keep what we were doing rolling, and uh yeah, we lost that air cleaner earlier on. The stud broke off the carburetor, and um I was like, man, if you wanna if you want to get them early, I'm I'm game, and that's what we did.

SPEAKER_05

And uh lots of action, but rest assured, you're now up to speed.

SPEAKER_11

Here's a look at the championship chases. Brought to you by Sign Pro, exceeding your expectations.

SPEAKER_05

Patrick Emmerling's back-to-back New Hampshire wins jumped him into the top spot at the Wheel of Modified Tour standings. Austin Beers remained second, with Jonathan McKennedy trailing in third. Stephen Kopchick dropped down to fourth with Eric Goodale rounding out the top five. The Monaco Modified Tri-Track standings got shuffled after the modified Masters event at Stafford Speedway Wednesday night. John McKennedy sits in the top spot, followed by Ronnie Williams, who moved to second. Kyle Bonsignor sits third, Michael Christopher Jr. is fourth, and with his Stafford win, Ron Silk breaks into the top five. Round two, the Sign Pro Triple Crown for Stafford's SK mods, takes the green this Friday, while down south, the Smart Tour sees Danny Bone, Ryan Newman running 1-2 in the points, followed by Burt Myers, Jake Crumb, and Joey Braun. The Smart Tour sits idle until August 7th when they run at Pulaski Speedway. 2026 certainly has not been the kind of modified season that Matt Vassar anticipated when he reunited with John Hummel in the SK modified Hummel Hot Dog 11. During the running of the Casella Waistadie Lapper on June 5th, Vassar broke his arm and his wrist in a freak racing incident. Andrew Muller was called in to replace Matt as Vassar underwent surgery and is on the road to recovery. But now, Vassar is itching to get back behind the wheel. Let's get an update as we talk to him.

SPEAKER_11

This is SK Soundings. News from the SK, SK Life, and 602 Modified World. Brought to you by Wheelers Auto Services, the finest in top-level service of Premier Automobile makes and models, specializing in European, Japanese, and domestic vehicles.

SPEAKER_05

Well, I'm pleased to be joined by Matt Vassar, who's been on the mend for about a month and a half now after a wicked accident at the Stafford Motor Speedway. Matt, we're gonna get into that in just a moment because I've got some video and have you know try to get you know dissect what exactly happened. But I want to go back to you were a standout late model driver. I mean you you pretty much did it all, and then you got a call from John Hummel and moved up or moved over to the SK mod.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, um everything broke up there, but yeah. Um I started a late models here in like I think 1999. Uh um my dad was racing for Ron Paul. I I uh drove uh his backup car or my dad's car. Um slapped together uh a junk or motor and um I skipped school almost too many times that I didn't graduate my senior year uh because I was trying to work on it and uh because I just wanted to go racing because uh I was a bleacher bomb there um every Friday night um growing up and uh just wanted to just wanted to get out there and get racing. That was the the first thing I ever did at Stafford. Um funny story about that being a bleacher bomb, me and Michael Bennett. Uh we go a long way back. We used to um his father, grandfather her was racing, and obviously my dad was in the late models in the early 90s. Uh he was like the first friend, but enemy and made his racetrack, and we'd walk by each other and be like, your grandfather sucked, and he'd be like, Your dad sucked. Although he was down in Victory Lane every time my dad won, so it was kind of funny. You know, with us with a loved staffer, that was one of the cool things. Yeah, late models was the first thing, and then I went working in the cop series and bush series for a while, and then uh um started racing some you know trucks and all kinds of other stuff down south, won some races, uh won two championships at the Gresher Motorsports Park, uh you know, race down at the Waterby, and um uh Mobile and a bunch of other different tracks down southeast. Uh it was awesome, and then you know came back up here and started running light models for uh uh guy named Greg the Moon, which uh and and uh who the other car owner was. Um Don Cody and uh did that for uh uh a year and then um John uh I think he uh whatever ended up with him in the in the previous trailer, I think it was Tony Membrino. Um I was walking by Eddie Waterford and I'm like, what'd you take to get in that thing? And he goes, submit a resume. I was like, okay, well, I mean I'll take a shot and what's the worst thing I was gonna hear is no, right? And so I uh I did and we got talking and had dinner a couple times and um you know they explained their aspirations, I explained mine, and and we were able to come a deal and and I had to learn how to uh how to run a modified because I was so used to little tire stuff for the most part. I mean I drove drove some other stuff that's a little bit bigger tires, but um but they were all coil over cars. Nothing was ever uh I've been a coil over a big spring car. Uh I never drove a coilover car something's two inches off the ground like that, and uh most four inches off the ground was the lowest I ever driven uh in anything in my career. So it was it was quite uh acclamation uh period there uh that first couple years.

SPEAKER_05

And it it it's like lit it lit the candle for you. I mean you you just you absolutely love the modified, and I I think you've been a great fit for John as well and for Eddie over there in the uh 11.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I mean I I love those things. Uh they're it sounds terrible. They're so easy to drive, so hard to race. Um and it's not all because of the you know, the cars it's we're all at the same speed for the most part because the rules package is amazing at Stafford. And you have such a high uh talent level drivers, although there are a couple boneheads out there, and you know, we see it every week. Um, which makes it a little bit more difficult. Even some of the faster ones are boneheads because they think uh they get stuffed into the space where they shouldn't, or they're gonna try to push people around the r you know the racetrack, but that's you know, that's anywhere. But um you know, just they they're they're other sorts of I just can't describe how fun it is to drive one because it's a car that it can take driving it deep into the corner. And I mean that's a fault of mine, but you just can just sail them in there and you turn them and he just stick on this.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, and they smash the assembly, yeah. Most of the time they stick. Right. You were having a good season. It was early in the season, but you were you know, you were putting together some good consistent finishes, and and then the Casello Waste 80 unfolded, and I I've got video that uh give us your version.

SPEAKER_02

It all starts with me probably not doing my job as good as I should have, and uh giving Eddie and them guys uh good enough feedback so we could have a better car. We were we struggled in that race. I mean we that was that was the first race besides the the week we lost brakes. Um we were we were off pretty good. Um we made multiple pit stops, that's where it really went bad because we shouldn't have been back where we were. Um we come out of turn four and you know, obviously looking at the video now, this has happened, whatever happened to him on the restart if he missed a shift or was playing games, who knows? That's you'll let no one will ever know the truth on that one. Um but a melee ensued, and there was guys spinning wrecking high, there was guys spinning wrecking low. Um I saw Noah Corner or body of mine in front of me, and like Well Thumbnail modified you keep your front bumper squared up, right? You that's how you protect yourself, that's how you don't rip tires off, that's how you how you don't end up with a arm, it's all screwed up. So uh I was following him. I told him the next day, I was like, if you would have gone in the grandstands and killed 50 people, I was following you there and killing the rest of them that you missed. Because I was staying in line with this bumper and I followed him into the dirt because all the stuff that was happening on the track, that was the best place for us to go, and next thing I remember is somebody sliding into the right front and and we hit the back of Noah's car and and the wheels were turned violently, and my arm didn't feel as good after that.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah. We catch it because the camera uh is is kind of tilted from the accident a little bit, but can see. And and you kind of lift your arm and you can immediately see it. But tell me what uh what the injuries were.

SPEAKER_02

Um the radius bone cool scar that your me and your nephew were comparing the other day. So like here's the interesting right here. So the radius bones right here, it was it broke like this, and it was a bunch of little pieces. Um to the point we had to do a plate and ten screws. And um and then it sprained like everything all through here. We also have the box with a fracture right here, and then one of the the little bone in the center wrist is a fracture as well. Um Yeah, it was it was not very pleasant at all.

SPEAKER_05

What's the outlook?

SPEAKER_02

Outlook is, you know, full recovery, the bone's gonna be stronger than than than ever. Um I tell people I'm like a new Wolverine, although I haven't figured out how to get the things that come out of your uh your hand yet. Um the metal the metal in uh my arm there. Um look gonna be uh you know, all full range of motion, full use, all that stuff. There'll be no you know long-term effect. Maybe minus setting off uh um the airport. Yeah, an airport is about it. Um but comes with a cool story, so whatever. Um and uh and check checks to take these cars. Um but uh you know, long term I'll be fine. Um I'd love to get back in the car as soon as I'm available. Um I know we have uh Andy doing a great job for us. Um but uh it's just it kills you to see somebody else driving the car you're supposed to be driving.

SPEAKER_05

Oh I can see it when you're under when you're in the catic area. You just you you you do everything you possibly can, but when that car pulls out, uh it's like it's like when you leave home when your dog is at home watching you and you see the look on him because where are you going? Where are you doing with my car? Right. I feel for you. I think we're all looking forward to you getting back and uh wanted to get this update in and appreciate you visiting with us today and giving us the update and uh look forward to maybe the SK5K in uh in early August. Let's use that as the target.

SPEAKER_02

That is, I am working hard every day. I'm already ahead on physical therapy, and we already, you know, I'm do extra exercise. We're doing all we can, drink my milk, taking my vitamins, so I can't wait to be back out there, Jack.

SPEAKER_05

Can't wait to see you. Thanks so much for today, my friend.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you, buddy.

SPEAKER_11

It's now time to reveal this week's modified minute hot dog of the week. Someone who stood above the rest. Brought to you by Hummel Brothers, Quality Meets, the top dog in modified racing, 100% quality since 1933.

SPEAKER_05

David Arut came into last Friday's race at Stafford after his crew spent countless hours trying to recover from the week previous disaster that left his Monaco Ford SK totally destroyed. His team pulled out the backup car, and after starting fifth, he quickly took command of the Ford Elas. On lap 14.

SPEAKER_09

Arut makes a run for it. Down in turn number three. David Arut is to the inside of Pearl. Side by side, they come off to turn a brand new leader.

SPEAKER_05

But his lead slowly shrunk due to a fast closing Troy Talman.

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They are side by side for the lead. Troy Talman to the inside of David Arut.

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The Gazella Hart passed a root and went on to victory.

SPEAKER_10

Checker flag is out and Troy Talman wins tonight's SK modified feature event.

SPEAKER_05

Like the Phoenix, a route rose from the week before Dreck to finish in second place.

SPEAKER_13

It was a lot of a lot of work in the shop. Alex Grabb, Mike DeCarly, Fatback, Cooter, Chris, Thomas, everyone in the shop, getting another car back together, getting to come out. Finish second, it's good to get back up on the podium. We uh we need to get a lot better finishes. No uh no surprise I haven't had the best finishes the past weeks after winning earlier in the year, but to end up on the podium is awesome. I thought I had something to to win the race there, just kind of pull away, but I think those early laps running the outside of the 79 car there for 12 laps really uh killed the right rear and just lost the rubber there in the end. Well done, nephew.

SPEAKER_05

You are this week's hot dog of the week. Keeping up with the racetrack and its evolution during the course of an event can be the difference between finishing on the podium or somewhere mid-pack. Crew chiefs have to anticipate, they need to be proactive. A race setup gets you in the ballpark, but anticipating how conditions may change gives your driver the edge. And one of the best at that is JJ Visi.

SPEAKER_11

Time to drop in at the race shop and get the inside dope from the guys who twist the wrenches. It's Crew Call, brought to you by Ferguson Contractors, building excellence since 1925.

SPEAKER_05

JJ, tell me about the very first job that you had on a pit crew.

SPEAKER_08

Oh well, let's see. So between that, my grandfather and father was cleaning wheels and uh learning tires at a very young age of probably like three. And uh that was my first job in a pit crew, and just moved up from there.

SPEAKER_05

And you you've kind of climbed up through the ladder. Who are some of the instrumental people besides your family that have provided you with the input that have made you one of the top crew chiefs in New England?

SPEAKER_08

Well, you know, it starts off like I said, it started off as tires like Glenn Dixon taught me a lot. Um Mike German, Mike German, um you know Mario Fiori. And you know, talk about Jed Zarella and some of the famous old tire guys, and you move on from there to crew chief wise Michael Sullivan's wise savan that were huge in helping me through you know, Mike Christopher and Teddy, they were huge and instrumental in my career.

SPEAKER_05

What do you think the key is for a modified to be competitive? Is it the geometry? Is it being uh ahead of the curve of a changing racetrack? Is it tires?

SPEAKER_08

Well it starts with the tires, it most definitely does. And you know, the geometry and being ahead of the curve, um that that's a huge part in the two. It all has to mesh together. If it doesn't, you're not gonna be good at all. It's just how it is.

SPEAKER_05

You uh have a reputation for being ahead of the curve, being able to figure out what the track is going to give you when you finally get it, whether it's the mid-stages or the later stages of a long distance race. Is that intuitive? Is that luck? Uh what what goes ins inside that head of yours? A lot.

SPEAKER_08

Unfortunately, I sometimes I triple double triple check the pink myself, so a lot goes on, you know. And you can play Sunday morning Sunday morning uh morning quarterback and hope that something's different, but you know, just so many ideas I I try and stay up on the game and talk to a lot of fellow groupies, like I said, Michael Sullivan and Slice Saban, two of the smartest guys in the area that I've ever met in my life. So you know, I I know you know they forgot a lot more than I know. So it's it's a huge help to have them guys in my corner to help me do a lot of things as well.

SPEAKER_05

Your probably most successful season game at Stafford Motor Speedway. Was that your first championship as a crew chief?

SPEAKER_08

Absolutely it was. It was it was you know, it was funny because if you read every article when we said we're, you know, with the petty cash car, we're gonna have Andrew Muller driving. I was like, we don't have a chance. But I always said we might not have a winning driver, but we got a championship driver. And he proved me completely wrong because not only did he stay steady, he won two races, and one of them was from the back with a bad tire that was coming apart. So, I mean, that was huge for us.

SPEAKER_05

I watched you and that team mature through the years. You know, you had wins with Narducci, you had wins with Jimmy Blewett, but when Muller got there, it was as if everything solidified.

SPEAKER_08

Absolutely. You know, our first race out as a team, we had we went out and we won with Tyler Hines. That was our very first race. And I knew you know I was fortunate enough at the time, you know, the the My Hoffer family gave us great equipment and they wanted to win. And it was it was uh good times. We had some good times together when we were all together, and we we won some races and then the championship it was just was an amazing feeling that you're you know you never thought you're gonna get there. I mean, you you hope to get there, you never think you're gonna get there, and then when it all matched that last week. I mean, uh you know the best because uh I was I was ready to puke and I thought you knew that, so yeah.

SPEAKER_05

Now you've moved on and uh you've got a reputation. You you spent some time uh kind of charting the waters for the Catalano family, and now moved up with Danny Watts and got reunited with Andrew Moeller.

SPEAKER_08

How's that working out? It's just like we never left. It's uh the one thing I have to say about him is you know, because you know, he's very uh easy to work with. He's great on equipment, so he gives you you're able to fix it for the next week, you know. And like I don't like to say, it just he tells me a little bit and I know what he wants, which is a good thing. And and you know, I went to go work with Matt Baxter as well with uh the humble car. Unfortunately, Matt uh sustained an injury where he'll be out for a few weeks, and he'll he'll be back this year, and he's still chugging along, doing everything he's doing like like nothing's wrong, but just can't drive a race car right now, but he will. And uh but Andrew's in that too, and it's like even Eddie Clemkey notices when you know we all together on that car, and he notices he's like, You're right, this kid's very easy to work with, and and John Homel said the same thing, and we come back with a car next week. So it's it's pretty it's pretty good with him. He's a really good shoe.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, we had uh uh um Matt give us an update on this episode of uh his road to recovery, and you can understand this. He's at the point where every time he sees Andrew or Eddie, you know, pull out in the Hummel Hot Dog number 11, he sees that as that's my car. And yet he's he he has remained, I think, really connected to the team. When you have a driver that is there but isn't in the car as a crew chief, JJ, does that give you a different perspective on things?

SPEAKER_08

Oh huge. I mean like for instance, I was spotting for Matt, and you know, yeah, that mishap and the injury happened, and he's the first person to say, hey, because Matt's a great spotter, and he spots for us and then he walks with the car on the tour. And he's the first person to say, go in the infield, I'm gonna spot for Andrew. And I think that's kind of you know, it's very humble, and it's it's gotta be tough because then you see your car going through the field. It should be you in the seat, but he'll get there, he'll be back, and you know, you might be surprised that it could be two eleven's on the track, you never know.

SPEAKER_05

Whoa, are we on top of something here? What are we talking about? You should never know. Come on, we go back. This is the modified minute. Let's break some news. I'll leave it this way. Is John Hummel considering the prospect of fielding two entries at Stafford for the remainder of the season once Matt is cleared to drive?

SPEAKER_08

Well, I I think it'd be more or less uh goal if Matt would be in a car and see how it is. And it would be it would be it would be a multiple race, multiple car race, and then he would see if Matt feels up to it, keep keep on jogging because at this point John's excited how it went with Andrew, and you know John's was excited with Matt too, just as much. But John's the type of person he he doesn't like to let people down, right? And he's he got Andrew behind the wheel and he feels I don't want to say obligated because nobody's obligated in this court, but I think he feels happy that he's there and he's happy that Matt's still there because he sees what Matt's doing and keep it going, and you know your winning prize for being humble. You get to drive a race. So there will be a couple times you'll see some 11s out there. Who knows if it's for the rest of the season or for the select shows? It also depends. And you know, like I said, Matt Matt has to get back again. See what he wants to do, too, you know.

SPEAKER_05

Well, listen, I appreciate you sharing it with us. Make news this week when we drop modified minute. More importantly, appreciate you uh sharing some of your knowledge about the road to becoming a crew chief and some of your successes, and wish you continued success on the open uh modified circuit, on the tour circuit with uh Danny Watson and Andrew, and of course every Friday night at Stafford's Couple Way. JJ, all the best. Thanks. I appreciate it, Jack. Thank you. In the last episode, you saw Troy Talman get collected in a lap one crash at Stafford.

SPEAKER_07

Say, whoa, whoa, whoa, block, block. Did your right front get hit?

SPEAKER_15

How we're young. Uh something something's bad on the right front.

SPEAKER_05

While Talman's team was able to make repairs and finish 15th, it was still a disappointing night. But last Friday, that agony of defeat turned in to the thrill of victory.

SPEAKER_11

This is Throttle Down Time, where you get to ride along inside a modified. Brought to you by Waddell Communications, your Northeast track side dealer for radios and repair. Hop on board with Troy Tallman and his spotter Sean Waddell.

SPEAKER_07

I like to use 40 laps. Like I said, I think you have the better of the two ways to figure it out here. I'll be away to the bottom. Like just three. That's not a bottom. I got my Kistola hat on. Oh yeah!

SPEAKER_05

Spotters have become a critical part of the upper tiers of modified racing. They may not actually turn the wheel inside the car, but they provide their driver with input that helps him get the most out of the car. I want you to meet one of the very best spotters in the industry. His name, Sean Waddell, and he is the focus of this week's Racer Spotlight.

SPEAKER_11

It's Racer Spotlight Time brought to you by Riverhead Building Supply. Build better. Build stronger.

SPEAKER_05

But the reason that I brought him in for a racer spotlight is the critical role that he plays as a spotter. Now, earlier in the show, Sean, I played the the uh latest race with you and Troy Tallman, you spotting him all the way to victory. When did you start spotting?

SPEAKER_06

Um late nineties, because we didn't have radios till then. Even though the modified tour had him. Saver didn't have them until later then, you know.

SPEAKER_05

And who was the first guy you spotted for?

SPEAKER_06

Uh actually I started with Michael before Ted, actually. I spotted a couple races for Michael. My friend Chucky was spotting for him and Chucky Madigan, and he couldn't make it, so I spotted a couple of 'em. And then um the bear too. I spotted for the bear. He had numerous drivers. And I started spotting full time with Ted in in Stafford. Probably like ninety-eight, ninety-nine, ninety-seven, maybe back then.

SPEAKER_05

I can only imagine what it had to be like with you and Teddy and Michael Sullivan on the same radio frequency during the course of a race.

SPEAKER_06

Oh yeah, it was it was it was stressful at times 'cause he would just yell and scream so much. But then if you gave it back to him, then it was he would snap and then Mike would laugh and then we'd all be laughing, but not on the radio, but then he would say, I know you're laughing and he would get all crazy and he'd just swear more. But in the beginning back then Frank Scambata Sr. was the race director and and they loved to um they loved to pick on Ted for obvious reasons. Sometimes it was definitely self-infliction of his own doing, but sometimes it was more of the let's put on a show for the fans. Of course, you know, your father was a showman, he always wanted Stafford to be the place and the show and whatever was going on. So sometimes if they had the opportunity to sing it in there and get all thirteen to the rear, and then it would be They thought he was bad before they penalized him. After they penalized him, he was driving like more of a jerk than he was before they started, you know. So it was he was definitely the most penalized guy in Stafford history by far, guaranteed.

SPEAKER_05

There is absolutely no doubt about that. Alright, so let's move through the years. You get hooked up with a young kid by the name of Ryan Priest, a relationship that you still maintain so much so that you're the second spotter for RFK racing when they use a second spotter in the uh cup series.

SPEAKER_06

Yeah, actually third. Some races this year was Tony couldn't make it. Tony Reigns is our real second spotter. He had a family issue with the Glenn, so I was second at the Glen, but normally third, which isn't bad because I believe next year they'll go back to Chicago street race, they'll use three. I heard rumblings of maybe Mexico or other races. So currently this year I did uh uh Coda was the first one, Watkins Glen was number two, and San Diego was three, which it was uh San Diego is pretty uh pretty legit.

SPEAKER_05

Well that was a homecoming for you.

SPEAKER_06

Yeah, I I actually served on that base like forty years ago. So it was it was it was the same but different. You know, the the the outskirts and the outline was the same, but the buildings change and aircraft change and

SPEAKER_05

uh but the you know you go over the bridge and you come on the base and it was it was cool it was pretty wild actually you know but your heart but your heart Sean has always remained with the modified with the SKs with the Monaco modified tour whether it's the Wheeler modified tour you've you you started a business that that now you service repair uh advise the modified racing community for all their electronics but what is it the what is the key when we talked to Troy a couple episodes ago he said the value of you as his spotter is that you see things before they actually are going to happen. How did you develop that skill?

SPEAKER_06

Well I don't know if you actually see it you just think what's going to happen or predict but I mean it comes down to you have to know who you're racing with. So you know if you know if car A is on the pole or car B is on the and you're stuck on the outside you got a lane choice. You know we don't have lane choice. So you you know if you're in position six you're on the outside you you know there's no choose cone here once the race starts. So you know your bet is made before the race is even started.

SPEAKER_07

So with that it's like a chess game basically like I said I think you have the better of the two lanes figured it out here the top of three I'll give you right to the bottom basically I you got to play it out is you know what you think is going to happen.

SPEAKER_06

Is this guy going to go up or down or is this lady going to go up or down or whatever's going to happen. And you know is as you race long enough and you see and you race around the people you know their trends like I kind of know that like if Keith Rocco's on your outside or inside on a restart or is directly behind you, you know that's a guy you got to pay attention to because Keith's a master at the restarts and he knows how to manipulate a little extra this or a little break check here or there, you know, where you get a newer guy who doesn't he's a little green, he's not gonna he's more worried about being in the front and trying to maintain his position than try to manipulate the spot and try to get you to do something you don't want to do or whatever the case may be. What what in your what in your opinion Sean is the biggest mistake that spotters make um they they kinda try to drive the car like or you know try to be you gotta give the your job as a spotter is to give information that your driver can't see or know what's going on. Like if you head into turn one and then there's a pile up at the start finish line and you and you can obviously see that there's three cars sideways, they're not all gonna get going. So you say it is a wreck or a spin behind you no caution yet you just let him know so he's on the 'cause the guy in front of you he may just jam the brake on or not. Usually what happens is the spotter's not paying attention for the car behind you and he drives through your back bumper it's like well was if that what you know who's what are you doing? Are you paying attention? Like that's your job is to pay attention. But a lot of spotters don't pay attention. I mean if you can if you're capable of multitasking like race monitor is a great tool. You know if you're running third or fourth and you have you know the car in front of you you can see the car behind you you know that the guy you're you're you're running a tenth faster than the guy you're chasing but the guy behind you is two tenths faster. So then that makes you so you gotta cover your lane plus try to you know get to the to the spot to pass the car you're trying to pass. So there's a lot that goes into it but people try to over overreact and try to drive the car for the driver. Let him drive you know that's his job. He knows how to drive the car. That's why he's in the cockpit and you're up in the spotter stand. That's the you know that's the whole gist of it and don't you know you got to be calm. You can't I mean I could get fired up in my radio trailer but but in the spotter stand I usually don't get fired up. And you got to be the voice of reason for this person you're spotting for. You got to be the the the lesser of the two evils. Like don't don't tell oh go get that guy or wreck you'll never hear me say to wreck a guy anybody can go out there and wreck somebody. It takes talent to pass them. Don't drive into somebody I can't stand when people just drive into somebody but you also got to be like you see people especially a good staff or they do the dive bomb and you got to know that you you put your car down there you still got to turn left. You can't use the guy's door to turn the corner. So you you you don't want to put your driver in a spot that he can't get out of or has to do something more you know risky. Because to me if if you have a winning race car which we we actually did the other night we had a really good car but there's there's eight or ten other guys that have just as good a car. So you have to capitalize or or take the best opportunity when you have that car. If you don't if you have if you're going and you start sixth or eighth or tenth and you get up to second or third to me it's not worth the risk to reward to wreck somebody to try to get to me if you put the car back in the trailer the way it came out it's so much easier to to come back to the track the next week and try to reperform your performance. But if you constantly banging wheels like you know Ted used to do that all the time and I used to tell him you go faster when you don't hit people and it's true and these cars are momentum. Some of these you know these people that they didn't figure it out yet every time you turn the wheel you slow down every time you look in your mirror if you're looking up you're not going forward you're you're slowing down so these cars are momentum based. So every time you let off the gas and get back on it takes you X amount of space to get back to where you were so to keep it rolling and winding you know ease in ease out smooth. If you're smooth smooth is fast listen you know you see these guys cranking the wheel and they're not getting nowhere.

SPEAKER_05

And it frustrates the hell out of you I know because you're such a big fan of the art of driving an SK specifically listen it's always a pleasure we appreciate your your support of the modified minute but more importantly your support of the modified racing community when you show up at a racetrack there is a line outside your trailer for repairs and earplugs and and and they all have a pressing need and you can get a little well you can get a little uh irascible and kind of bark and growl but uh everybody loves you Sean Waddell. Thanks for having me Jack all right it's time for either or so let's see who's in the hot seat this week it's either or where our guest must choose one or the other brought to you by Mr. Rooter Plumbing expert plumbing contractors you can trust for this week's either or I've decided to enlist Chase Dowling is uh my victim I guess you could say are you ready Chase because this'll be this'll be harmless I promise sounds good okay either Kentucky fried chicken or Popeyes Kentucky fried chicken crispy or or chicken just just chicken Popeye is the only thing really oh okay all right uh World Cup or World Series World Series baseball I figured that was coming I in other words you haven't caught World Cup fever yet no you don't even care do you watch it no you don't even care championships or race wins oh that's my epitome I have a lot of race wins but no no really big championships so I would have to say championships at this point fishing or hunting and finally boating or snowmobiling oh I blew my shoulder out snowmobiling but definitely uh probably boating at this point it's warmer well you realize you can blow your you can blow another shoulder out if you're water skiing or you're on a boat.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah what if you fall out of the boat okay that's alright at least you're having more fun and it's warm water will cool you down. Snowmobile when it's cold as hell and you blow a shoulder out it's not too fun trying to get to the hospital five hours away.

SPEAKER_05

Alright we appreciate it uh see I told you you weren't gonna be harmed in this segment but we we appreciate your being subject to either or yeah you got it well that's going to do it for this edition of the modified minute big thank yous go out to JJ VC Matt Vasser and Sean Waddell for taking time out of their day to share their stories and give us an inside look at what makes modified racing so special. As always thank you for making the modified minute part of your week. Now if you enjoyed today's episode please like share subscribe hit all the buttons tell a fellow racing fan about the show you see your support helps us to continue to bring you the best people the biggest stories and the greatest competition in modified racing. Don't forget to follow the modified minute on social media so you never will miss a new episode or the latest news from the world of modified.

SPEAKER_11

Until next time I'm Jack Aroot thanks for watching stay safe and we'll see you at the races this has been the Modified Minute Modified Minute has been brought to you by Quadell Communications the official track side radio supplier for the Mod Squad by mid state site development in the chest